Injection molded gun barrel assembly

ABSTRACT

A gun barrel assembly includes an outer casing, an inner liner and a tubular breech insert, all of which extend longitudinally from a muzzle end to a breech end. The casing is composed of a polymeric material or resin matrix material filled with carbon fibers and the liner is composed of a metal material. A muzzle end portion of the insert is disposed within the breech end portion of the casing bore. One or more structures on the breech insert muzzle end portion are interlocked with the casing breech end portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/786,862 filed Mar. 15, 2013.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates generally to composite tubes. More particularly,this disclosure relates to composite tubes for gun barrels.

Composite gun barrels are desirable because they permit the constructionof lightweight firearms. A composite barrel such as one constructed froma tube made of polymeric materials or carbon fiber and epoxy resinmaterials, however, typically lacks sufficient stiffness to maintain itsintegrity for accurate reproducible firing. Even when the compositebarrel includes an inner tubular liner, a firearm having such acomposite barrel tends to be less accurate than a firearm having aconventional barrel.

SUMMARY

There is provided a gun barrel assembly comprising an outer casing, aninner liner and a tubular breech insert. The casing longitudinallyextends from a muzzle end to a breech end has a muzzle end portion and abreech end portion, and an axial bore extending from the muzzle end tothe breech end. The casing is composed of a polymeric material or resinmatrix material filled with carbon fibers. The liner longitudinallyextending from a muzzle end to a breech end, has a bore having a rifledinner surface and is composed of a metal material. The liner beingdisposed within the casing bore. The breech insert longitudinallyextending from a muzzle end to a breech end, and has a muzzle endportion disposed within the breech end portion of the casing bore. Thebreech insert muzzle end portion includes at least one structureinterlocked with the casing breech end portion.

The gun barrel assembly does not include a muzzle cap.

The structure on the breech insert muzzle end portion is encased in thematerial of the casing breech end portion.

The breech insert interfaces with a receiver of a firearm.

The muzzle end portion of the casing extends longitudinally past themuzzle end of the liner, such that the liner is recessed from the muzzleend of the casing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure may be better understood and its numerous objectsand advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art byreference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an injection molded gun barrel assembly inaccordance with the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of the gun barrel assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the barrel liner and breech insert of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of area IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the barrel liner of FIG.2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the breech insert of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a left-side view of the breech insert of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a right-side view of the breech insert of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-section view taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the drawings, an injection molded gun barrel assembly10 in accordance with the disclosure has minimum deflection and optimalaccuracy derived from production processes.

The barrel assembly 10 includes three components, an inner tubular liner12, a breech cap or insert 14 and an outer sheath or casing 16 formedfrom an injection molded material. The inner tubular liner 12 defines abore axis 18 extending longitudinally from a breech end 20 to a muzzleend 22. The liner 12 is rifled 24 and is composed of a metal material,for example steel.

The tubular breech insert 14 extends longitudinally from a muzzle end 26to a breech end 28 and has a bore 30 that is coaxial with the liner boreaxis 18 when installed. The breech insert 14 is interlocked into themolded material of the outer casing 16 through geometries/structures 32in the muzzle end portion 34 of the breech insert 14 to mount the breechinsert 14 to the breech end portion 36 of the casing 16. In the exampleshown in FIGS. 6-9, the breech end of the casing 16 abuts an outercircumferential shoulder 40 on the breech insert 14. In addition, firstand second circumferential rings 42, 44 extending outwardly from theouter surface 46 of the muzzle end portion 34 of the breech insert 14are encased in the material of the casing 16 during the molding of thecasing 16 as explained further below. The breech insert geometries 32prevent lateral or longitudinal movement between the breech insert 14and the outer casing 16. The breech insert 14 also interfaces with thereceiver (not shown) of the firearm to create a positive lockup betweenthe barrel assembly 10 and the receiver.

The breech end portion 48 of the liner 12 is press fitted into thebreech insert bore 30 such that the breech ends 20, 28 of the liner 12and the breech insert 14 are substantially aligned and a transverseopening 50 in the breech insert 14 and a transverse groove 52 in theouter surface 54 of the liner 12 are aligned. Thus joined, the breechinsert 14 and inner liner 12 are placed into a mold which is thenclosed. The material of the outer casing 16 is then injected into themold. The material may be a polymeric material, resin matrix materialfilled with carbon fibers, or other suitable material. The mold includesprovisions for forming a transverse opening 56 aligned with the breechinsert transverse opening 50. After the outer casing 16 has completedcuring, the barrel assembly 10 is machined to finished dimensions. Whenthe gun barrel assembly 10 is assembled with the receiver, a pin isinserted through the casing transverse opening 56, the breech inserttransverse opening 50 and the liner transverse groove 52 andcorresponding openings in the receiver lock the gun barrel assembly 10to the receiver.

The outer casing 16 produced by the mold may have an integralcompensator 58 and front sight 60, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The casing16 may also have integral circumferential fins 62 extending from theouter surface. The muzzle end portion 64 of the outer casing 16 extendspast the muzzle end 22 of the inner liner 12, as shown in FIG. 2, suchthat the inner liner 12 is recessed from the muzzle end 66 of the barrelassembly 10.

It should be appreciated that the subject barrel assembly 10 is uniquein that: 1) the breech insert 14 interlocks internally with the outercasing 16; 2) the barrel assembly 10 may have an integral compensator 58and/or front sight 60; 3) the barrel assembly 10 does not include themuzzle cap found in conventional composite barrels; and 4) the muzzleend 22 of the inner liner 12 is recessed from the muzzle end 66 of thecasing 16.

It should also be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed andother features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirablycombined into many other different systems or applications.

What is claimed is:
 1. A gun barrel assembly comprising: an outer casing longitudinally extending from a muzzle end to a breech end, the outer casing being composed of a polymeric material or resin matrix material filled with carbon fibers, the casing defining an axial bore extending from the muzzle end to the breech end, the casing having a muzzle end portion and a breech end portion; an inner liner longitudinally extending from a muzzle end to a breech end, the liner being disposed within the casing bore, the liner being composed of a metal material and defining a bore having a rifled inner surface; and a tubular breech insert longitudinally extending from a muzzle end to a breech end, the breech insert having a muzzle end portion disposed within the breech end portion of the casing bore, the breech insert muzzle end portion including at least one structure interlocked with the casing breech end portion.
 2. The gun barrel assembly of claim 1 wherein the gun barrel assembly does not include a muzzle cap.
 3. The gun barrel assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one structure on the breech insert muzzle end portion is encased in the material of the casing breech end portion.
 4. The gun barrel assembly of claim 1 wherein the breech insert is adapted to interface with a receiver of a firearm.
 5. The gun barrel assembly of claim 1 wherein the muzzle end portion of the casing extends longitudinally past the muzzle end of the liner, whereby the liner is recessed from the muzzle end of the casing.
 6. A gun barrel assembly comprising: an outer casing longitudinally extending from a muzzle end to a breech end, the outer casing being composed of a polymeric material or resin matrix material filled with carbon fibers, the casing defining an axial bore extending from the muzzle end to the breech end, the casing having a muzzle end portion and a breech end portion; an inner liner longitudinally extending from a muzzle end to a breech end, the liner being disposed within the casing bore, the liner being composed of a metal material and defining a bore having a rifled inner surface; and a tubular breech insert longitudinally extending from a muzzle end to a breech end, the breech insert having a muzzle end portion disposed within the breech end portion of the casing bore, the breech insert muzzle end portion including at least one structure encased in the material of the casing breech end portion.
 7. The gun barrel assembly of claim 6 wherein the gun barrel assembly does not include a muzzle cap.
 8. The gun barrel assembly of claim 6 wherein the breech insert is adapted to interface with a receiver of a firearm.
 9. The gun barrel assembly of claim 6 wherein the muzzle end portion of the casing extends longitudinally past the muzzle end of the liner, whereby the liner is recessed from the muzzle end of the casing.
 10. A gun barrel assembly comprising: an outer casing longitudinally extending from a muzzle end to a breech end, the outer casing being composed of a polymeric material or resin matrix material filled with carbon fibers, the casing defining an axial bore extending from the muzzle end to the breech end, the casing having a muzzle end portion and a breech end portion; an inner liner longitudinally extending from a muzzle end to a breech end, the liner being disposed within the casing bore, the liner being composed of a metal material and defining a bore having a rifled inner surface; and a tubular breech insert longitudinally extending from a muzzle end to a breech end, the breech insert having a muzzle end portion disposed within the breech end portion of the casing bore, the breech insert muzzle end portion including at least one structure encased in the material of the casing breech end portion; wherein the muzzle end portion of the casing extends longitudinally past the muzzle end of the liner, whereby the liner is recessed from the muzzle end of the casing.
 11. The gun barrel assembly of claim 10 wherein the gun barrel assembly does not include a muzzle cap.
 12. The gun barrel assembly of claim 10 wherein the breech insert is adapted to interface with a receiver of a firearm. 